Human trafficking: Danish envoy raises awareness and improves border security

Human trafficking: Danish envoy raises awareness and improves border security

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Sune Krogstrup called for greater public awareness and better border security to combat human trafficking and irregular migration from Nigeria.

Krogstrup made the appeal on Friday while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the premiere of a documentary titled “I Wish I Know” in Abuja.

The documentary was produced by MeCAHT in partnership with EXIST and with funding from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The envoy, who denounced the global problem of human trafficking, advised that all hands should be on deck to address the challenge in Nigeria.

“Denmark supports organizations such as MeCAHT, which carry out advocacy initiatives aimed at combating trafficking and irregular migration.

“Our support for this project is mainly focused on awareness raising, but there are other elements such as security and border management that we have also done with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN.

“We have also worked with the organization called the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to strengthen the capacity of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to address issues related to irregular migration,” he said. he declares.

The envoy described irregular migration and human trafficking as complex problems that require holistic measures to combat.

He said available statistics showed that Nigerians topped the list of victims of trafficking to Denmark, hence the need for greater awareness and public enlightenment.

“Denmark is a relatively small country in Northern Europe, and yet what we see in the statistics is that Nigerians top the list in terms of trafficking victims.

“It is generally young women who are victims of what we now call sex trafficking. So it's a huge tragedy.

“And the Danish government will continue to play its role in combating this phenomenon, because it is also a human rights issue for trafficked Nigerians,” he said.

Krogstrup stressed the need for stronger synergy between organizations such as NAPTIP, MeCAHT and IOM to identify and reach vulnerable communities across Nigeria, to prevent them from becoming victims of trafficking human being.

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

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